Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

It appears that the grace period for new coaches in the Big Ten lasts for 65 days or only one National Signing Day. That's how long it took for fellow Big Ten coaches to publicly speak about being upset with new Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer.

Not surprisingly, the complaints from Wisconsin's Bret Bielema and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio are related to Meyer's recruiting tactics. Particularly the part where he just shows up, swoops in and then causes recruits to suddenly change their minds and flock to Columbus.

“There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn’t want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues,” said Bielema on Wednesday. “Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal.

It seems that Bielema and Dantonio aren't used to the recruiting tactics Meyer has brought along from his days in the SEC, where the gentlemanly rules of the Big Ten do not exist. It seems SEC coaches know that no commitment means anything until a letter of intent is signed, so the race for any recruit they might want doesn't end before February.

Question the morality of it all you want, but you'll notice the SEC has won the last six national championships while the Big Ten has been rather uninspiring.

Meyer's first class at Ohio State was good enough to finish ranked third in the CBS Sports National Signing Day Top 25. In that class of 24, 10 of the commits didn't come on board until after Meyer became head coach at Ohio State. Of those 10 players, eight had previously given commitments to other school.

Including offensive lineman Kyle Dodson (Wisconsin) and defensive end Se'Von Pittman (Michigan State). Hence the reactions of Bielema and Dantonio. Still, of the other six, four had been committed to Penn State and two to Notre Dame. You don't hear Bill O'Brien or Brian Kelly crying foul about it today.

Not that complaining will do anything to deter Meyer. He's a head coach that realizes in order to build a successful program, not only do you need to have a good coaching staff, but you have to have good players. Players that are found through recruiting.

So whine about how he does all you want, he's seen the fruits of his efforts and has a couple rings to show for it. Nothing anybody can say will change that.

Other Big Ten coaches can either get on board, or run the risk of being left behind.

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Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

Obviously it sucks losing a top recruit for any school, but it's funny reading UM fans trash OSU and Meyer when Hoke did the same exact thing just a few months ago w/ Kalis.

Since: Oct 13, 2011

Posted on: February 3, 2012 12:01 am

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

Seems like a stand up guy, I mean everyone in Florida still loves him. Tara is that you?!?

Since: Oct 18, 2009

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:55 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

Goose49- That's simply not true. I knew that when Lloyd Carr was replaced by RichRod we were in for some stormy times ahead (ethically speaking). I would rather have 10 more seasons of honest but underperforming football with Carr than even 1 NC with RichRod and his methods. See, the people in Big Ten country are different than SEC folks. We aren't "win at all costs" and recruiting like Meyer is might work, but it comes at a price. Nick Saban is respected as a coach, but everyone knows he has very low moral standards. A Big 10 coach wouldn't quit in the midst of a season to make himself available for another job, either (Bobby Petrino).

Somebody would do well to remind these sleazy scumbags that football is still just a game, and trading honor for BCS championships is the wrong example for our youth.

Since: Oct 1, 2006

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:53 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

A coach should only want players that want to be at the school that are committed to playing, training, sweating, and bleeding for that University becuase they take pride in the school along with pride in themselves. Talent is important but so is teamwork and chemistry in football. If you lose a player, you lose a player he didn't want to be there in the first place it should have no bearing on how successful of a football season you will have, case in point, Boise State. Chris Petersen does not get five star recruits but he develops talent at Boise State and there is a culture of winning and the players expect this from themselve once they enroll.

Since: Apr 3, 2008

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:47 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

These are the same Big 10 schools that had no problem whatsoever stealing our recruits last year. Telling them that we were going to get huge sanctions and not be able to play for national championships for a long time.

As far as Wisconsin is concerned, maybe their coach should look at the fact that he's lost over half his coaching staff, including the coach that heavily recruited Kevin Dodson.

Also, verbal commitments are just that; VERBAL!!!! It doesn't count until they actually sign the contract on national signing day. So let them bitch and moan all they want. Just go out and beat us on the field, where it really counts.

Since: Dec 30, 2006

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:36 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

This is a reply to : Jealous much?

Lets see... how would this comment section conversation be different if say Michigan hired Urban Meyer last year, or Penn State hired him this year, or if (I understand the Badger and Spartan jobs weren't open, but hypothetically) he was at Michigan State or Wisconsin? Now while Michigan is probably the only school that has the historical prestige and resources that are ≥ or ≤ (wherever your biases lie) to that of The Ohio State University within the B1G, the truth is a dominant/tireless recruiter like Meyer could get your school good/better recruits, and you'd praise him for it.

The point is, if Meyer was your school's coach, your tune would sound a little, no, no, no, I mean, a lot different.

Now I'll honestly admit that as a tOSU fan, if Meyer was at Michigan and I had to see him pull in a ton of recruits for that school up North, I'd probably cry foul too. Why? Well, if I was truly being honest with myself, it'd be because I was jealous.

I'd compare it to jealous little kids on Christmas - After suffering through years of having to play with the outdated Sega Dreamcast that was Rich Rodriguez, Michigan finally unwrapped their in Brady Hoke last year. They were the king of the block now and all the cool kids (recruits) would want to come over and play, especially since the Xbox (Jim Tressel) of the spoiled Bucknut kids from across the street was suffering from the flasing red light of death. And wouldn't you know it! Just because they have to have better toys than everyone else those Scarlet and Gray brats opened up a shiny new in Urban Meyer! It's just not fair!

Since: Oct 1, 2006

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:30 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

In all fairness Meyer took the head coaching position at Ohio State at the end of November and while other coaches he communications with other players Urban had to play catch up after being out of football for a year. Wisconsin and Michigan State have great football programs but the Buckeyes are gonna be the cream of the crop again in the Big 10. It's not because of this year's recruiting class it's because of 19 returning starters that played their tails off in 2011 with little experience on the playing field and the sideline. With last year's roster Tressell would have won at least 10 games. Fickell was thrown into the head coach position with no experience and it showed as he often looked like a deer in the headlights. Still Luke did a great job considering the circumstances.

Since: Jul 29, 2010

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:27 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

Bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch...shut up and beat us on the field you pansies!

Since: Apr 4, 2008

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:24 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

meyer and OSU deserve each other, won't be but a few years and violations under meyer will come. The big ten has more integrity and does it the right way more than any conference. It's typical that OSU would hire someone like meyer to run their rougue "franchise". &%$# all the buckeye nation! GO BLUE!

Since: Oct 26, 2011

Posted on: February 2, 2012 11:24 pm

Big Ten head coaches already upset with Meyer

This is the reason The Big Ten gets its asses kicked every year in Bowl games.Getting the right players to win,and Meyer coaches them to win too.The Big Ten is still 10 years behind in football,and you think your so high and mighty.I hear your Head Coach at Wisc.is such a bad drunk,they have to take him home most nights.Please don't talk about other people.Like Bobby Bowden told Lou Holtz one time,you can't Coach 2 Teams.Ohio State and Urban Meyer are playing to Win.This ain't Grade School